Wolves Opinion: Signing Victor Lindelof would make little sense for Nuno Santo
According to an exclusive report from TEAMtalk, Wolves are set to make a renewed effort to sign Swedish international defender Victor Lindelof from Man United in the summer.
The same report claims that Wolves were interested in securing the services of the 24-year-old last summer but former United manager Jose Mourinho blocked a move.
Nuno Espirito Santo is keen to bolster his squad even further at the end of the season and the Portuguese boss is set to sanction a new bid for Lindelof in the summer. (h/t TEAMtalk)
Lindelof, who made his move to Old Trafford from Benfica back in 2017 for a fee of £31million, has made a total of 68 appearances for the Red Devils in all competitions, including 39 this season.
The 24-year-old was one of the key driving forces behind Sweden’s march to the quarterfinals of the World Cup last summer and he has been an ever-present at the back for United in the ongoing campaign, though he has come under scrutiny at times for his lapses in concentration.
Meanwhile, Wolves inched closer to securing a Europa League qualification spot with a 2-1 victory over rivals Watford in the Premier League last week.
The Black Country outfit has taken the Premier League by storm on their return to the biggest stage following a six-year absence and expectations at the Molineux will be sky-high next season if they do manage to make a return to the European front.
To put things into perspective, Wolves have every reason to look at more top-quality signings in the summer in a bid to capitalise on their solid season this time around.
Victor Lindelof has looked a bit shaky at the back for United this term but he is just 24 and has plenty of time to make improvements. However, the main question is- Do Wolves need someone like Lindelof to bolster their ranks? And, would he be an upgrade on their existing defensive options?
Well, the answer to that would be No. Stability at the back has been one of the hallmarks of Wolves’ successful season in the Premier League and there is no reason why the manager should look to bring in defensive reinforcements in the summer, with the likes of Conor Coady, Willy Boly and Ryan Bennett all setting high standards at the back.
Wolves also have the luxury of calling upon the likes of Leander Dendocnker and Romain Saiss to play as quarterbacks in their back-three system and both the players have filled in admirably in the absence of the first-choice defenders.
Even if Nuno Santo is looking for an upgrade on his existing options at the back, Lindelof would hardly add anything extra to what he already has.
With all due respect to his abilities as a defender, the Swedish international hasn’t looked at all secure at the back for United this season. Yes, he has put in some good performances but he has also looked quite vulnerable at times, leaving a lot to be desired with his poor game awareness and marking.
In fact, United would probably have relished having either of Wolves’ three first-choice centre-backs in their ranks this season.
Lindelof’s displays can hardly be deemed as authoritative and Wolves would need to shell out a massive amount to bring him to Molineux in the summer, something that should further discourage Nuno Santo from making a move for the 24-year-old.
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Wolves would be better off looking at new attackers in the summer and a back-up for Raul Jimenez should be high on the manager’s wishlist at the end of the season. Even if they want to add a defender to their squad, they should not consider Lindelof as the right choice.
